A Leave of Absence (LOA) is a planned temporary break in attendance with a specific date of return within the same semester. It is different than a break in attendance, which does not have a specific date of return. Completing an LOA form prevents any negative impact to your financial aid while you are out of attendance.
Warner Pacific University has a formal LOA policy for Professional and Graduate Studies Students (see the most recent Academic Catalog) that allows you to be out of attendance for a specific period of time, but you must meet requirements for an LOA to be approved:
- You must schedule a return date
- You must receive federally mandated LOA counseling from your Financial Aid Counselor prior to the last night of attendance
- You must complete an LOA form
- You must attend the last class session before your leave and return to class as expected after your leave
If you take a break in attendance without an approved LOA In place you may have to begin repaying your loans. Federal Stafford Loans have a grace period of six months before you must begin repayment. When you take a break in attendance you will not have to repay your loan until the grace period expires. But, if you use all of your grace period during your time out of attendance, you will have to begin repaying your loan immediately after you graduate or leave school. It is possible to request an extension to the grace period, but this must be done before the grace period expires. If your grace period has run out in the middle of your break in attendance, you will have to start making payments on your student loans.